Bubble Gum
by AliasCWN
Summary: Lt. Ryan is back and the Rat Patrol is charged with his safety. Things get sticky when they find out that his top secret mission has a leak.
**Bubble Gum**

By: AliasCWN

The jeeps picked him up outside the building housing Allied headquarters. Sargeant Sam Troy climbed out of the front and took a seat on the radio in the back. He smiled at Tyler as he descended the stairs to the street.

Lt. Tyler Ryan nodded and slid into the recently vacated passenger seat. He barely had time to get situated before the driver hit the gas and the jeep lurched forward. Tyler glanced over at the driver, noting the roguish grin on the tanned face.

"Try to miss at least some of the pot holes private." Tyler knew from past experience that the request was a waste of breath but he said it anyway.

The blond grinned and nodded. "Welcome back Lieutenant."

Tyler had met the four men tasked with being his escort on his first and only previous assignment in North Africa. On that occasion he had volunteered to deliver a secret dispatch because he had been the most qualified to answer questions on its' content. After surviving that trip he had sworn that he would never be so foolish as to volunteer again. Yet here he was once more. This time to attend a meeting of high ranking Allied officers concerning a new, and highly classified, weapon. Having memorized all the specifications and pertinent information, it was his responsibility to pass it on to the Allied commanders. He'd just completed that part of his assignment and now it was time for him to return to his job at the Pentagon. The commanders had deemed it necessary for him to have an escort until he was safely on the plane and headed home. Colonel Wilson had arranged for his best men to provide security. Having met the Rat Patrol previously, and learned to trust them, he was grateful to the Colonel for again lending their services.

They took him to the mess hall to get a hot meal before their journey.

"I guess you didn't get enough of the desert the last time you were here Lieutenant." Troy teased as they climbed out of the jeep.

"I thought I had Sargeant." Tyler laughed as he answered. "The thing is…..things change."

"Not around here Lieutenant. It's still hot, still dry, and the roads are still full of pot holes." Pfc. Mark Hitchcock walked around the front of his jeep and grinned at Tyler. His manner was friendly as he joined them on the sidewalk.

"Don't remind me." Tyler groaned. "My bones are already protesting and we haven't even hit the road yet."

The young blond smiled in sympathy as he moved to join Sargeant Moffitt and Pfc Tully Pettigrew. The five of them shared pleasant conversation and a mediocre meal before starting their journey.

The road was every bit as bumpy as Tyler remembered. Pot hole after pot hole jarred his body and rattled his teeth. As Hitchcock had pointed out, it was still hot and dry. Tyler kept a canteen close at hand, trying to stay hydrated. As he reached for yet another drink the driver extended a hand toward him. Tyler noticed the piece of gum between his fingers. He was about to refuse but reconsidered and accepted the offering.

"Keeps your mouth moist without that full feeling from drinking so much water. You still need water, just not as much." The blond winked at Tyler and went back to concentrating on his driving, sitting relaxed despite the bumps.

Tyler nodded a thank you and popped the gum into his mouth. Almost immediately the saliva began to ease the dryness in his throat. Once again the blond had given him some good advice. The last time they'd met the driver had told him to keep his hat on in the heat. It had crossed his mind that the private was trying to increase his discomfort for some reason but it turned out that it had been sound advice after all. Chewing the gum slowly, he tried to lean back in the seat and enjoy the ride.

The afternoon passed pleasantly enough despite the pot holes. They stopped once to cool the engines and refill the gas tanks and radiators.

"What brought you back to our part of the world Lieutenant?" Moffitt ask casually.

"Troop assessment." He answered automatically.

Moffitt pursed his lips and nodded thoughtfully. "Sort of what I thought. Hope it went well."

"Very well Sargeant."

"Do the Germans know you're out here assessing our troops?" Troy ask as diplomatically as he could manage.

Tyler hesitated, not sure how much he should reveal. Deciding that they needed to know, he answered as honestly as possible.

"There were rumors of a leak. They weren't confirmed but that's the main reason you guys were assigned to escort me to my plane."

Troy nodded thoughtfully as he considered the information. "Hitch, keep a sharp eye out for patrols. We may have company out here that know we're coming."

Hitchcock acknowledged the order without taking his eyes off the road. Tully walked over at hearing the order, concern on his face.

"Get the jeeps uncovered. Time to get out of here. Tully, stay close."

The private stripped the netting off the jeeps and slid behind the wheel. Hitchcock jumped down from the rock he was lying on and climbed into his jeep. The sergeants had a quick conversation before taking their places. The mad dash for the base continued.

Tyler tried to remember all he had heard about the rumor of the leak. Had it been confirmed or was it only a rumor? He wished he knew. Suddenly it seemed important.

A shell hitting the road in front of them caught Tyler daydreaming. He grabbed the edge of his seat as the jeeps left the relative smoothness of the road. The bumps increased tenfold. They wove and dodged around rocks and exploding ordinances. The heavy machine guns on the halftrack sought the darting jeeps. When a second halftrack joined the chase Troy motioned Tully and Moffitt off in a different direction. By splitting up he hoped to even the odds a bit.

Tyler was starting to think that they'd outrun the halftracks ' guns when he heard bullets pinging off the metal frame of the jeep.

Hitchcock threw a glance over his shoulder to Sargeant Troy and coaxed all the speed he could out of the little vehicle. He headed for a valley where they could get out of the halftracks line of sight. The engine started to sputter, signaling the beginning of the end.

Troy had abandoned the 50 and was gathering weapons and ammunition into a pile.

When the engine finally died, the jeep rolled to a quick stop in the soft sand. Hitchcock reached under the seat and grabbed their map case and code books. He ran out in front of the jeep about twenty feet and dug a hole. Watching their back trail, he buried them and brushed his tracks out all the way back to the jeep. Once there he reached under the seat again. Tyler watched as he pulled a small bag loose and began to empty it into his hand. He divided its' contents between is various pockets. Looking up he saw Tyler watching him.

"My gum. Don't want to blow it up with the jeep." He smiled as if it were a completely normal thing to do.

"Blow it up?" Tyler looked for some sign that he was joking. "But we need the jeep to get away!"

"Bullets caught the gas tank. That jeep is done. We can't leave it for the krauts." Hitchcock explained. "Troy's going to blow it up with a grenade so they can't use it or the 50."

Tyler wanted to run but the others were standing their ground. He could hear the sounds of the halftrack getting closer. He expected to see it come around the edge of the dune at any time.

"Better hit the ground Lieutenant." Troy warned as he pulled the pin on the grenade. Tyler and Hitchcock fell to the sand and covered their heads. Troy ran toward the jeep and threw the grenade into the back. He dove for cover as the explosion sent shrapnel flying through the air. The gas fumes caught fire completing the destruction. A thick column of smoke rose into the air.

Troy and Hitchcock climbed to their feet and watched the halftrack lumber toward them.

"Aren't we going to run?" Tyler wanted to get away. The last thing he wanted to do was stand there and be taken prisoner.

"No where to go Lieutenant. They'd run us down in no time at all." Troy explained patiently.

"So what do we do?"

"We wait for the Germans. They take us prisoner. Then we wait for Moffitt and Tully to come rescue us." Troy smiled encouragement. "Only we don't tell the Germans about the second half of the plan."

Hitchcock chuckled at Troys' instructions. "And we hope for the best Lieutenant. We try not to do anything that will make them angry or suspicious."

The halftrack stopped and the crew piled out. The machine gunner kept them covered while the others surrounded them. Their hands were tied and they were searched. They found the gum in Hitchcocks' pockets but after determining that it was harmless, they allowed him to keep it.

They were shoved into the back of the halftrack and driven to the German base. The guards seemed fascinated by the bubbles the blond private kept blowing and popping. Hitch amused himself by seeing how big he could get the bubbles before they burst.

Tyler, expecting to be questioned, was pleasantly surprised to find himself in a building with the other two. It wasn't really a cell, just a one room building with locks on the door.

Realizing that they had their quarters all to themselves, Tyler took the opportunity to look around. There were four cots along the wall. A table stood in the center of the room with two chairs. The windows were covered with wooden shutters that Tyler had no doubt were nailed shut. The only door was the one that had been slammed shut behind them.

Hitchcock was trying to see through the cracks in the shutters. "Looks like they have guards on almost every building. Wonder what they're guarding." He whispered so the two guards outside their door wouldn't hear.

"Probably just a trick to confuse anyone who might come looking for us. They won't know what building we're in and they'll have to check every one with a guard. That increases the odds that they'll get caught before they find the right one." Troy had seen the Germans use the same trick before. Unfortunately, it was effective, putting Tully and Moffitt in more danger.

"Now what?" Tyler took a seat on the nearest cot.

"Now we wait."

"Wasser. Wasser."

Tyler watched as Hitchcock pounded on the door to get the guards attention. When the door opened, Hitch held out a hand full of gum and repeated the German word for water over and over.

The guard eyed him suspiciously. Not knowing how to explain in german, Hitchcock pointed at his mouth and blew a bubble. He popped it and repeated it several times. The Germans watched until he ask for water again. The second guard came to the door and pointed his rifle at the prisoner. The first guard reached out and took the bubble gum with a smirk. Both guards stepped back and the door slammed shut in Hitchs' face.

Tyler hoped Troy's driver wasn't too thirsty. "I think you just lost your gum and I don't think they're going to bring you any water."

The blond didn't seem concerned or even upset. "That's okay Lieutenant. I can survive a little longer. I still have more gum. Want some?" He offered Tyler a piece from his pocket.

"No thanks, you keep it. I still have the last piece you gave me." Tyler watched Hitchcock cross to a cot and stretch out. He noticed that Troy had watched the whole thing with a smile on his face. Hitchcocks' soft snore echoed across the room. "He doesn't seem too upset that they took his gum and didn't give him anything in return."

Troy studied him for a minute before he replied. "He got what he wanted Lieutenant. Nothing to get upset about." Troy eyed the cot. "Better get some sleep Lieutenant. We're going to have to move once it gets dark."

"Move? Where do you think they'll move us?"

"No." Troy shook his head. "We're going to get out of here. And then we're going to have to put some distance between us and them before we can stop to rest. So you had better get some sleep."

Taking his own advice, the sargeant was soon asleep.

Sleep didn't come as easily for Tyler. His secrets lay heavily on his mind. It was only his confidence in his escorts that made sleep possible at all.

Hitchcock was the one to hear the faint thump outside. Jumping to his feet he woke Troy.

"Lieutenant. Lieutenant." Tyler stirred to find Hitchcock shaking his leg. "Time to go Lieutenant."

Tyler rubbed sleep from his eyes and sat up. Troy and Hitchcock were already standing by the door. Tyler saw the knob slowly turn and the door swung inward.

Hitchcock grinned at the newcomer. Tyler was relieved to recognize Sargeant Moffitt. Moffitt stepped quickly into the room and pushed the door closed.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Fine Jack. Where's Tully?" Troy took the machine gun Moffitt handed him and checked the ammunition. Moffitt handed him two spare clips that he tucked into his pockets.

"Tully is replacing the guard by the gate. We need to move. They'll be changing the guards soon and the dead ones will be missed."

As if on cue they heard German voices in the street. Moffitt listened and his smile turned into a look of concern.

"They're changing the guards. They'll notice the missing ones and sound the alarm. That will cut us off from the gate and the jeeps. We need to go now!" His voice carried a note of urgency that made Tylers' feet itch to move.

"No."

Tyler looked at Troy in disbelief. Moffitt had the same initial reaction but he recovered more quickly than Tyler.

"What do you have in mind Troy?"

Tyler was wondering the same thing but he preferred to hear the answer after they had pulled off a successful escape.

"The guards are all wearing their long coats and scarves. You took out what, four, five guards?" Troy waited for Moffitt to confirm his count.

"Five."

From the tone of his voice Tyler suspected that Moffitt knew what Troy had in mind.

"That's one for each of us. Everyone grab a coat to cover your uniform. Take the places of the guards. Wait to be relieved. All you have to do is do what the other guards are doing. Keep your faces covered and your heads down." Even as he spoke, Troy was moving. "Hitch, you and the Lieutenant take your places outside here. Tullys' got the gate. Moffitt and I will take the two in between. If you get in trouble run for the gate. We'll cover you. Got it?"

"Got it Sarge. " Hitchcock answered. Moffitt was already opening the door.

"I don't know if I can do this Sargeant." Tyler admitted.

"You'll be fine Lieutenant. Just do what Hitch does and don't speak or make eye contact with anyone."

The two sergeants pulled the dead guards into the building and ran from the room. They hurried to hide the other bodies and take the places of the guards.

Hitch, wearing a great coat, scarf and helmet, handed him his disguise. "Put this on and hurry. We need to be outside before they come into sight."

As soon as he was dressed Hitchcock handed him a German rifle and shoved him out the door. They barely made it before the German squad marched into view. Hitchcock looked over at Tyler and whispered to him to pull his scarf higher around his face.

Tylers' knees were shaking so hard he was sure the knocking would give them away to the Germans.

The squad of fresh guards rounded the corner and halted in front of them. The officer in charge pointed at two men who fell out of formation and approached the Americans. Tyler glanced over at Hitchcock too see him step out of the way and salute the officer. Tyler did the same. The officer returned the salute and ordered the remainder of his men on to the next guard post. Hitch let his shoulders slump and he started to walk away. Tyler hurried to catch up to him, too nervous to be alone even for a second. Without speaking, they walked down the street until they could duck out of sight between two buildings.

The moment they were safely hidden by shadows Hitchcock let out a sigh of relief that Tyler copied. Holding a finger to his lips to warn Tyler to remain silent, the blond hurried to the other end of the alley. Two Germans stood with their backs to the alley as they approached. Tyler tried to hold back but the private kept walking. It wasn't until they were closer that Tyler recognized Troy and Moffitt. Hitchcock walked right past them and kept going with Tyler following blindly. The sergeants brought up the rear.

"Slow down Hitch. We have to find Tully before we reach the gate." Moffitt whispered from behind them.

"He's right there Doc." Hitchcock answered quietly. Moffitt leaned around Hitch to see a single German in a great coat and scarf headed directly toward them.

"Everything okay?" Tully scanned the group for any injuries. Thankfully he didn't spot any.

"It will be as soon as we get through that gate." Troy answered for all of them.

"Follow me." Moffitt took the lead. He strode boldly toward the gate followed by the others. The guard raised his rifle and issued a challenge. All but the British sargeant stopped and waited. Moffitt was pointing a finger and explaining something to the guard. The German turned to look as Moffitt continued to close the gap between them. The German never saw the blow coming. Moffitt hit him behind the ear and knocked him cold. He slid silently to the ground. Tyler and the Rat Patrol passed through the gate into the dark obscurity of the desert beyond.

Back at the jeep the Rat Patrol made short work of stowing the netting and getting the jeep moving.

Tyler sat in the passenger seat and took his first relaxed breath since his capture. He was swaying with exhaustion by the time the jeep pulled into a wadi to make camp. Over a hot meal by a warm fire Tyler replayed the events again in his mind.

"Sargeant Moffitt. What did you say to the guard at the gate?"

Moffitt smiled. "I told him that I had been standing guard there earlier and left my canteen. When he turned to look I hit him."

"But what if he had noticed that there wasn't a canteen left behind?"

"Oh, but there was Lieutenant. I saw it when I took out the guard. It was a perfectly believable excuse."

"I see. But how did you know where to find us? Which building we were in? Sargeant Troy said there were guards on almost every building. Yet you said you only took out five. How did you know which five to take out? You couldn't possibly have seen us." Tylers' confusion was plain to hear.

"Tully told me."

"But how did he know?"

Moffitt looked at Tully with a grin. "Care to explain it to him Tully?"

Tully shrugged. "It was easy Lieutenant. They were the only ones chewing bubble gum."


End file.
